Weighing-scale.



P.. j. ZMNIERMANI WEIGHNS SCALE.

APPLICATION FILED :uw 25, IsIs.

1 ,27 1949?@ Paente July 2, 1918.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

-WE!GHING SCALE.

APPLICATiGN FILED ILILY 25. 1916.

1 ,27 1 ,497'. Patented July 2, 1918.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3.

"UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEioE.

ALBERT J. ZIMMERMAN, OF DAYTON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE RICHMOND-STANDARD MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF RICHMOND, INDIANA,

A CORPORATION 0F INDIANA,

WEIGHINGSCALE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 2, V1918.

To all wwm t may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT J. ZIMMERMAN, citizen of the United States, residing at Dayton, in the county of Montgomery and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in lVeighing- Scales, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to weighing scales and more particularlyv to scales of large capacity such as wagon or car scales but is also applicable to scales of less capacity. Y

The object of the invention is to'simplify the structure as well as the means and mode of operation of such devices whereby they will not only be cheapened in construction, but .will be more efficient in use, sensitive, accurate in operation, durable, self-adjusting and unlikely to get out of repair.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved form of vibratory fulcrum support for the platform levers which will automatically compensate for the hori- Zontal vibration of the platform incident to the weighing of live ystock or the travel of a wagon, car, truck orV other vehicle on and off of the platform.

As ordinarily constructed the longitudinal and lateral oscillation or vibration of the platform is compensated for by the relative movement of the platform bearings upon the' knife edge bearings of the round lever or the vibration of the fulcrum bear` ings of the round lever upon the fulcrum support. This vibration causes the knife edge bearings to climb or slide upon the inclined sides of the fulcrum bearings or the platform bearings, causing thebearings t0 grind and wear. one upon the other thereby seriously affecting the sensitiveness and accuracy of the scale and materially shortening its period of usefulness.

A further object ofthe invention is to provide an improved form of self-adjusting supporting bearing to automatically coinpensate for any inaccuracy of manufacture or assembly and which willv adjust itself to the. alinement of the scale levers in the event that the lever is moved out of its normal or' alined position accidentally or otherwise. This automatic compensating or self-adjusting feature serves to maintain the bearing edge of the knife edge bearings in the bottom er' apex of thegrccved depression ef the corresponding bearing faces under all conditions of use. It prevents any skew adjustment of the vlever in relation with the bearing support which might otherwise cause the bearings to bind, due to the unalinement of the knife edge bearing with the V shaped groove of the support or otherwise tend toy retard the free movement of the lever.

This difficulty has heretofore been sought to be overcome by suspending the round 0r transverse levers upon swinging supports or clevises. Such swinging supports, however, permit the oscillation of the platform in one direction only, while they tend to resist the vibration in a transverse direction. Furthermore, such oscillatory fulcrum supports, by their swingingor arcuate movement, effect a grinding or wearing action upon the knife-edge bearing which is overcome by the present construction in which the bearing support vibrates or oscillates in a substantially horizontal plane. In other words, in the present construction the platform, the round or transverse lever, and the fulcrum support constantly maintain their relation throughout the vibratory or oscillatory movement. These parts move in `unison without relative change of position in relation one with the other. By this construction the wear upon the bearings is reduced to minimum.

`In the prior constructions in which the fulcrum support is suspended from the main frame, the point of suspension is usually a hook located adjacent to the top edgev of the end bar of the frame. Such hook supports the entire load which mav be placed upon the platform and tends to warp or buckle the frame by drawing the top edge thereof inward when subjected to heavy load or draft. of the main frame not lonly tends to cause deterioration of the scale but also by the variation of alinement of the levers the accuracy and sensitiveness of the scale is affected. In the present construction one of the primary objects is to support the scale platform from below and as lov.7 in relation with the main frame as is feasible.

lilith the above primary and other incidental objects in view, as will more fully appear in the specification,v the invention consists of the features of construction, the parts' and lcombinations thereof, ,and the This buckling or warpingv mode of operation, or their equivalents, as

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan View of the assembled scale to which the present invention has been applied, a

hereinafter Vdescribed and set forth in the `portion of the platform being remo'ved' t o disclose thelocation and relation ofthe plat-V feiiii 'levers and their bearing. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of one of the fulcruni chairs or brackets for the round or/transverse lever. Fig. 3 is atopplan vien/" of the bracket or; chajir. Fig; i' is abottom plan view of 'one o f the fulcrum blocks. Fig; 5 is a topplan Aview of one ofthe bearings or fulcrunrblocks.` Fig, 6 is a sideelevation showing the relation of the support or chair andthe round or transverse lever andthe platformbeam vvhen in assembledielation; Fig: 7 is a perspective view o 'f a modilication of the fulcrunirbearing or support. Fig. 8 is atop plan" view of the bracket or Vchair-' el'n'f ployed in .the construction shovvn in Fig.' 7

Fig. 9 is av bottom plan' view and Fig: l0 frnt elevation,' partlywin' section, of 'the bearing or fulcrum Vblock employed in the construction sh'own` in Figs. 7,8, and Il.,

port v therefor which' vv'll compensate for horizontal vibration of the platform.f As usually constructed the longitudinal and lateral oscillation or vibration of the scale platform not only causes the knife' edge bea'rff ings of the platform levert@ wear andre# eomednll', rendering the scale less sensitive,

" bnt" in time'it destroys-the acoura'ey of its operation' andslfortens the term of iusefulness'of the scale. VTo overcome this difficulty by providing floating or senti-e yielding fur crum supports whereby the fulcrum', the platform lever and platform may/vibrate or oscillate as; a" sin'gle'runit Without relative independent' movement' of the members, lautomatically compensating for anyy vibration and causing the automatic alinem'ent or adl j'ustment of the 'fulcrum supports and the lever bearings', in relation ene; withy the other leone' of the" primary objects of the' present invention,

are?. ai tn-gs, is the sca-lehnte' which preferably channel irons, or'

Located at' of greater extent than the ra their inner sides the round A or `transverse levers 2 carry knife edge bearii'lgs oV upon 70 which are supported the platform or floor beams 6 on which is located the usual floor of planks?. Rigidly secured to the round or transve'rseV levers 2 and extending inwardly therefromv are vthe long levers 8 which, at their inner or adjacent ends are connected with the cross ori'fth lever 9.

Theuconstruction thus far described, eX- cept so far as it pertains to the floating or vibratory fulorum bearing 4 is that vgenerally employed in scales 0f this type. Throughthe yieldingl action of the vibratory ful'erum supports 4 for the roundor transverse levers 2 the platform, together with' the` round or transverse levers 2 and the floating fulcruin blocks on which. the round levers are carried are capable of'botli longitudinal and lateral vibration in unison in addition to the vertical movementl of the platform and levers in relation vvith the fulcru'in blocks by Whicliithe Weightv of the load' or draft isdeterinined.

'It' willA be noted thatthe round or trans'- verse levers 2 are contracted or flattened adjacent v to' the bearings 3 and 5. Thisv is foi-the purpse ofshjorte'ning the distance between" the bearing edges of the knife edge bearings 3 and' 5v,- thereby shortening the leverage of this arm or ope-rating distance in comparison with the long arm 8. short.- ening'th'e distance between the bearings 3 ande in proportion ivith the leverage of the long arm, the p ull or down-draftof the scale beam upon the cross or fifth lever 9' and thence througlithe fifth lever and its con# neetionsV vvith'the scale beam is materially lessened, thereby enabling thef Weighing of greater loads with less strain upon the levers' and bearings'. fF'nrtherin'ore, by so propor--` tioni'n'g the leverage `the round and long 11o levers,ttogethe1 With the liftli lever maybe made of size, thereby resulting inv a savin'g of material and of vveiglit, still reducing thesliipping cost; In th'e construction s hoivn' in Figs' Q to 5, inclusive, the floating er self-adjusting fuleruni support 'comprises a bracket or chair lO bolted or othervvise secured tontlie end bar, ofthe main frame l and; bifurcated as at l1. the'up'per faces of the arms 1Q saidbifurcated bracket 10 there are' formed a pluralityof shallow depressioirsrl liaving Vcemparatively' flat bottoms.l Located in each' of the depressions or sockets 13n is a' bearii'ig'ii ball' 1fl'. In' theevent that tlieuloot-j 125 110m if the Cvf" 0 1 recesses 13.' Vare form-d concave.: such cavity is formed upo'n'a radius dius ofthe ball. Heteren-.this ,.elible. CQ. traction@ forni the bottoms of the'epressonsor so ek! ets 13 substantially fiat with slightly rounded or iilleted angles at their peripheries.

The construct-ion in either event is such that the bearing ballslet are capable of a limited rolling or vibratory movement `in any direction which, however, will be limited by the engagement of the ball with the periphery of the depression or socket. lVhile any number of bearing balls 13 may be employed7 three balls, as shown in the drawing, are the preferable number. This affords a three point bearing which will be selfadjusting to the end that the fulcrum blocks will rest evenly upon each of the balls.

Resting upon the balls 11 are ioating fulcrum or bearing blocks 15 having in their upper faces V shaped or grooved depressions 1G for the engagement of the knife edge bearings 3 of the round or transverse levers Q. On their under side the oating fulcrum or bearing blocks 15 are provided with depressions or sockets 17 substantially corresponding in size, form and relative p0- sition with those of the bracket or support 10. The bearing balls 1/1 engage the corresponding sockets or depressions of vthe bracket arms and the `floating fulcrum or bearing block 15.

In the construction shown in these figures 2 to 5, there is a separate fulcrum or bearing block for each arm 1:2 of the bracket 10. These bearing or fulcrumbloc'ks are capable of independent vibration and oscillation upon the bearing balls 14. They are not only capable of longitudinal and lateral vibration but also of a rotary or oscillatory movement in a horizontal p-lane. The construction is such that the bearing or fulcrum blocks 15 are free to move or vibrate in any horizontal direction whereby they will automatically adjust themselves to cause the bottom or apex of the V shaped groove 16 to coincide with the knife edge bearing 3 of the transverse or round lever. Likewise the fulcrum or bearing Vblocks 15 will oscillate or roll in any direction to compensate for vibration of the platform and vits levers. T he relation of the bearing balls and the sockets 0r depressions `by which this floating or vibra-tory action is effected is shown in detail in Fig. 9.

The floating fulcrum or bearing blocks 15 are provided on their inner or adjacent sides with friction vpoints 1S which serve to limit the lateral movement of the round or transverse lever in relation with the fulcrum block Yby engaging the lug thereof by which the knife edge bea-ring 3 is carried. These friction points 18 provide limited lateral or thrust bearings which serve to `space the main body of the fulcrum or bearing block away from the round lever lug. thereinv reducing to minimumV the friction which might otherwise result.

Whilefthe construction shown. in Figs. 2

to 5 provides for two independent floating fulcrum or bearing blocks 15 for each bracket or chair and the incidental use of six bearing balls adjacent to each corner of the main frame, the construction. shown in Figs. 7 to 11, inclusive, involves the use of but a single floating fulcrum or bearing block and the use of but lthree bearing balls at each corner of the main frame.

In the last mentioned construction there is employed a bracket or chair 20 bolted to the end bar of the main frame upon the laterally projecting shelf 21 on which are formed a plurality of depressions or sockets 22 having either substantially flat bottoms or bottoms slightly concave upon a radius greater than that of the bearing balls to be employed. The preferable construction is shown in Fig. 10. Located in these depressions or sockets 2Q are bearing balls 23 upon whichrests'a floating or vibratory fulcrum or bearing block comprising a base 24 and a standard 25. The under side of the base 24 is provided with a plurality of depressions or sockets 26 substantially equal in size, shape and relative location to the sockets or depressions 22 in the shelf 21 of the bracket 20. The bearing balls V23 enga-ge simultaneously in the sockets or depressions of the chair or bracket and those ofthe ioating fulcrum block.

The floating or vibratory fulcrum support is provided with oppositely disposed friction points Q9 similar to and for the same purpose as the friction points 18 heretofore described.

In assembling the apparatus the floating or vibratory fulcrum or bearing blocks are rested upon the bearing balls as before described and as shown in Figs. 2, G, '7, and 11 and the knife edge fulcrum bearings 3 of the round or transverse lever 2 rest in the V shaped depressions or grooves 17 of the blocks 15 or the notches 28 of the standards Q5. The platform beams 6V are then supported upon the upturned knife edge bearings 5 at the opposite side of the round or transverse levers.

The beams 6 are provided with heads comprising oppositely disposed shelves or ledges 30 and 31 spaced one above the other and connected by an upright web 32, as shown in Fig. 6. The web portion 32 is provided with an offset or shoulder in which is inserted a bearing block 33 having in its under side a V shaped or grooved depression in which the knife edge bearing 5 engages.

In Fig. 11l a cast or chilled bearing lug 36 is shown in lieu of the inserted steel bearing 33 shown in Fig. (i. The body of the cast lug 3G is cut away at 3i' below the top plate or ledge 30 leaving only a conneeting web 3S. The purpose of this forni is to cause the lng Sti te cool or chili 'more iiiolly, thereby Ciusiiiit to becoie-very hardin order to resist Weai. Iurtlierinora there is less possibility of 1tlavvs 'or holes'. beiiig'-fini`ed iii the s ihaller Inass of inetal thereby insuringv greater strength. The round or transverse lever is normally supported in; balanced position 6 by the connection of the long lever S with thecross or fifth lever 9. vertical swinging the round oneross lever isprovi'dedjvith a single outwardy projecting lug from the l knit'a edge fulcruni bearin'gS 3 project in opposite directions into engagef nient With'the separate or independent ul` cruin or bearing blocks 1 5. Inthe construetin Sheva in' Fies- .7 te V.11 the' vrollil' -91 transverse ,lever provided With parallel spacedlugs or arnisji betviveen which the l'riifeedge ulcruin bearings 3 entend. In this construction the parallel spacedwlugs extend on opposite sides of the standard By the construction Vs lnoyvii in Figs 7 to 11 bearing balls Vof, larger diameter rnay be enployed and the balls be more Widely spaced one froin another.y

While as thus 'tx described the liicrating or vibratory bearinghas been described only in connection with the fulcrunr bearing of the round or transverse lever 2, it is to be "understood that it is not limited to this particular location but that a .construetion siinilar to those disclosed-in Figs1 may be employed as a f ulcrum support for the `fth o1,` cross lever 9. In'asniuch as the constructionand arrangement ofparts Woulo'l'be`V identical, it is thoughtthat a specific illustration of the application `of this invention to the fifth lever .is unneeesf` Sary- It has been foun'din practice that either of the eostru'ctioi'isf heretofore desc ribed orV valuations thereof such as Willreadily o`c'c1 1 i`* `V to any niechanicskilled l1n the vart of scale mechanism, aiiiords very efficient, sensitive, and durable tco1st'-ruf'stiin.' Frein the'v above deserip'tio'n vit' will be apparent that there is" thnsjprovideda device of the*.ch'aracterV described' pdsys'essing'w the particular features oi. advantage Ibefore' enumerated asdesiraloleV butiwhich obvio ly susceptible oiiInQ-dieat in its f o nient f'rparts Without departing' freni the the invention been described in language more less speciiie as to certain Structural ea. tu1`es,v it is to be understoodthat the ineans yand construction herein described comprise butone Inode ofputting Vthe in vention into effect and the invention is therefore claimed broadly in any of its possible orinsor niodiiications Within the scope of the appended claims.

vIIaving -tlius described my invention, I claim;

l.v In a' \v e'igl1i ng scale, the combi-nation X'vitlh a niain frame, ya platform, and plat# form levers of fixed rlever supports'- project iiig beneath the levers and Heating fulcrums for the platform lever carried thereby, said floating fulcrurns being' capable of vibratory inovement in any direction in a horizontal plane. 2.. In a weighing scale, the combination with af nl fme Platfemm,l .platferm leviersv of fixed leverjsupports, inde-pendent fulciju'rfn blocks for said levers earried therebyand bearing balls-interposed between the' f lil'rufni.blocksfand the supports Xvhereby said fiilcruniblo'cks Will be capable otviu bratory 'Inoveiiient in different angularly related directions in a substantially 'horiforni levers of fixed lever supports, said supports having' va plurality of depressions arranged ,in triangular relation in their upper fa'ces, floating fulcruin blocks for said levers having correspondingly located depressions in theirbottonrfaces, and bearing balls engagi'ngi simultaneously in thel depressions et the supports andthe fulcrurn blocks, Wheres'aid blocks will be capable of vibratory nveinent in afhorizontal plane.`

4. Ina Weighing scale, a stationary frani, avvibratory Yplatforrn, platform levers, and fulcrurnQblocks therefor' capable of vibratorylv niovenient 4both laterally and longitudinally in a substantially horizontal plane in unison one With theother, and bearupon` vvhich lthe fulcruin blocks are supported vibrate.

5. 'In a Weighing scale, the combination with a stationarymain ra1ne, a platform,

and platform` levers, of Vfixed supports Jfor the platform ylevers carried by the main frame, and vib'ratory vulcrnni blocks forthe platforni levers having triangular disposed bearings upon 'said fixed supports.

6. InY a scale, a stationary support scale lever, a I ioating fulcruni bloclr up if which the sale lever is ful- 7. In a weighing scale, a stationary main frame, a movable platform lever, a supporting bracket ixedly secured to the main rame projecting beneath the said platform lever, and independent fulcruin block supported upon said bracket upon which said platform lever is fulcruined, said block being capable of vibratory movement in any horizontal direction.

8. In a weighing scale, a bifureated supporting bracket, independent floating fulcrum blocks carried by each arm of said bifurcated bracket and bearing balls interposed between the supporting arms of the bracket and the fulcrum blocks, said blocks being capable of independent vibratory movement in any horizontal direction.

9. In a weighing scale, a iixed support, and independent floating fulcrum bearing blocks carried by said support and bearing balls interposed between the support and fulcrum blocks whereby said blocks will be capable of independent vibratory movement in any horizontal direction.

In a weighing scale, independent floating fulcrum blocks arranged in pairs, one pain for each fulcrum bearing of the scale, fixed supports for said fulcrurn blocks and bearing balls interposed between the blocks and supports whereby said blocks will be capable of independent vibratory movement in any horizontal direction.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 10th day of July, A. D. 1916.

ALBERT J. ZIMMERMAN.

Witnesses:

B. H. RANNELLS, THOMAS B. HERRMAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

